Comparing and Contrasting the Movie "Troy" and the Book "The Iliad"

Essay by mnkymn267 February 2007

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Between the novel "The Iliad" by Homer and the movie "Troy" directed by Wolfgang Peterson, there were mostly great similarities, yet there were also some strong differences. Although most of the movie was on point according to the storyline and dialogues of the characters, there were still some major differences among the two. If I was ever to make my own version of the Iliad into a movie, this would be what I would change; I would make the movie more related to the novel. In the following I will explain how the move was similar and different to the novel as well as how I would have made my version of the movie more according to the novel.

First, I must say that Wolfgang Peterson did an excellent job binding together his movie "Troy" with Homer's "The Iliad" as well as with the facts and cultural characteristics of the Trojan and Greek people.

One of the many ways that Peterson showed a great connection to "The Iliad" is when Akhilleus has his argument with Agamemnon over Brisêis. In this account with Agamemnon, Peterson uses almost the same exact dialogue that Homer used with the exception of a few phrases to keep up with the slightly different storyline he created in "Troy." Also, in the battle scenes it is noticeable the type of weapons, armor, and shields that the warriors used was quite similar and almost exact to the style of arms used by the ancient Greeks and Trojans. And finally, the customs of burials were also correct to their traditions. The placing of the corpse on a pyre to be burned and putting a gold piece on each of the corpse's eyes were both usual customs used in their ancient past times. So, according to these facts it is...